# US 2014/0191696 A1 · Rotating electric machine and method for controlling the rotating electric machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191696 A1 - Document ID: US20140191696A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/234,646 - Filed: 2012-07-25 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-28 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hiroyuki Hattori - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191696A1 ## CPC - H02K 9/19: for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil - H02K 11/25: Devices for sensing temperature, or actuated thereby - H02K 31/00: Acyclic motors or generators, i.e. DC machines having drum or disc armatures with continuous current collectors - H02P 31/00: Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors not provided for in groups H02P1/00 - H02P5/00, H02P7/00 or H02P21/00 - H02P29/00 - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS ## Abstract A rotary electric machine includes a rotor that is arranged such that an axis of rotation of the rotor extends in a horizontal direction, a stator that is provided with an coil end on which coolant is supplied from a position above the coil end in a direction of gravitational force, and a temperature sensor that is arranged on an outer peripheral face of the coil end at a position near a horizontal plane that includes the axis of rotation of the rotor. When the flow rate of the coolant is below a threshold the temperature sensor measures the coil temperature. When the flow rate of the coolant is above a threshold, so that coolant is in direct contact with the temperature sensor, it measures the coolant temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary electric machine comprising: a rotor that is arranged so that an axis of rotation of the rotor extends in a horizontal direction; a stator that is provided with an coil end on which coolant is supplied from a position above the coil end in a direction of gravitational force; a temperature sensor that is arranged on an outer peripheral face of the coil end at a position near a horizontal plane that includes the axis of rotation of the rotor; a sensor guide that is arranged on an outside of the temperature sensor in a radial direction of the rotary electric machine, and that extends upward along the direction of gravitational force; and a first control unit that is configured to restrict a load of the rotary electric machine, wherein the first control unit restricts the load of the rotary electric machine so that a temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor does not exceed an upper limit temperature of the coil end when a flow rate of the coolant is lower than a predetermined threshold, and the first control unit restricts the load of the rotary electric machine so that the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor does not exceed an upper limit temperature of the coolant when the flow rate of the coolant is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold. ### Claim 2 (canceled) ### Claim 3 (canceled) ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary electric machine according to claim 1, further comprising a second control unit that is configured to increase or decrease a flow rate of the coolant, wherein the second control unit increases the flow rate of the coolant when a temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor exceeds the upper limit temperature of the coil end in a state where the flow rate of the coolant is lower than the predetermined threshold, and the second control unit increases the flow rate of the coolant when the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor exceeds the upper limit temperature of the coolant in a state where the flow rate of the coolant is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein: the sensor guide is arranged at a position apart from the coil end; and the sensor guide changes a direction of flow of at least a part of the coolant that flows on the outer peripheral face of the coil end so that the flow of the at least the part of the coolant is directed toward the temperature sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor measures at least one of a temperature of a surface of the coil end and a temperature of the coolant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rotary electric machine according to claim 1, further comprising a coolant nozzle that is configured to supply the coolant to the coil end from the position above the coil end in the direction of gravitational force. ### Claim 8 A method for controlling a rotary electric machine, which rotary electric machine includes: a rotor that is arranged so that an axis of rotation of the rotor extends in a horizontal direction; a stator that is provided with a coil end on which coolant is supplied from a position above the coil end in a direction of gravitational force; and a temperature sensor that is arranged on an outer peripheral face of the coil end at a position near a horizontal plane that includes the axis of rotation of the rotor, the method comprising: restricting a load of the rotary electric machine so that a temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor does not exceed an upper limit temperature of the coil end when a flow rate of the coolant is lower than a predetermined threshold; and restricting the load of the rotary electric machine so that the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor does not exceed an upper limit temperature of the coolant when the flow rate of the coolant is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method for controlling the rotary electric machine according to claim 8, further comprising: increasing the flow rate of the coolant when the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor exceeds the upper limit temperature of the coil end in a state where the flow rate of the coolant is lower than the predetermined threshold; and increasing the flow rate of the coolant when the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor exceeds the upper limit temperature of the coolant in a state where the flow rate of the coolant is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein the coolant is always in contact with the temperature sensor when the flow rate of the coolant is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method for controlling the rotary electric machine according to claim 8, wherein the coolant is always in contact with the temperature sensor when the flow rate of the coolant is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold.